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Troubled MMO will remain free to play for PC buyers until Square Enix announces game's new direction.

Highly anticipated MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV Online is a hot mess on PC, and Square Enix announced today it will fully iron out all of the games issues before it even thinks about launching the PlayStation 3 version of FFXIV. Originally set for release in March, the game has been postponed indefinitely.

In our two-star review rundown of Final Fantasy XIV's cons, we wrote: "worst user interface in a PC game since 1998; every aspect of game unnecessarily convoluted; feels like a free-to-play MMO in the very worst way." The game's players voiced similar complaints, and Square Enix heard them loud and clear, extending the subscription-based game's free trial period twice.

"Rather than simply converting the current Windows PC version, it is our intention to include all the improvements we currently plan to meet customer expectations for the PS3 version," Square Enix said in a statement.

"In order to do so, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the release timing of the PS3 version from our previous plan of early March 2011. The new release date will be announced swiftly upon final determination."

In an effort to get the game on track, Square Enix also announced a major reshuffling of the FFXIV team, with Producer Hiromichi Tanaka replaced and additional designers "hand-picked" from other Square Enix projects to work on the MMORPG.

"We realize time is of the essence and are fully determined to provide our customers with quality service," Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada stated. "It is because of this that we ask our customers to be patient until we are able to confidently present them with a concrete plan outlining [FFXIV's] new direction. The free trial period will be extended until that time."

Sharkey says: Sorry to those of you who bought the game on PC, but it looks like you were just the beta testers for the console version. The sort-of good news is that when FFXIV finally does launch on the PS3, it might actually be fun to play.